American Heart Association Advocacy in Tennessee

Be a part of the cure. Be an advocate.Influencing public policy through advocacy is an essential strategy used by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association to achieve its health impact goals and programmatic objectives, which include helping all Americans lead healthier lives and reducing the incidence and consequences of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association works across the public policy continuum to influence public policy, including planning, stakeholder and coalition development, policy research and analysis, a comprehensive legislative and regulatory agenda, the creation of media advocacy and grassroots strategies, implementing policy change, and then following through with effective evaluation to assess implementation and the ultimate impact of the law or regulation.

Tennessee Advocacy Successes

In 2011, legislation passed which encourages schools to open up their facilities like gymnasiums and tracks to the community as sources of physical activity. This new law clarifies that liability rests with the user not the school system, if the school chooses to open up their facilities after hours a community partner.

In 2011, legislation passed which encourages schools to open up their facilities like gymnasiums and tracks to the community as sources of physical activity. This new law clarifies that liability rests with the user not the school system, if the school chooses to open up their facilities after hours a community partner.

The legislature included $3.5 Million in its FY2011-12 budget for tobacco cessation coverage for TennCare enrollees. This state appropriation coupled with a federal match equals over $10M for a comprehensive smoking cessation program including medication and counseling for Tennessee’s Medicaid recipients.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates, Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee General Assembly fully funded Coordinated School Health in its final FY 2011-12 budget. This is a huge win for Tennessee, but we again anticipate having to fight for this funding again next year.

Passed in 2011, this new law broadens the requirement that drivers exercise due care to apply to bicyclists. It creates a Class B or Class A misdemeanor, depending on whether the accident results in serious bodily injury or death of another person, when the person causes an accident by failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, fails to exercise due care, or fails to pass a bicycle safely.

What's happening in Tennessee Advocacy?Read our state agenda to see what we're working on this year.